presents Women in the Ethanol Industry 2020
BRETT SCHULTE
Lab and Environmental Compliance Manager Southwest Iowa Renewable Energy, Council Bluffs, IOWA
Though a history major in her liberal arts college days, Brett’s summer jobs helped prepare her for a 15-year career in ethanol. Working at the company where her dad was an engineer, she gained experience in the research and development department and the tech services food lab.
On getting started in ethanol A couple of years after college graduation, my husband and I wanted to move to western Iowa to be closer to family. That was in 2005, when Amaizing Energy in Denison, Iowa, was being built. I hired on as a lab technician and went through all the startup training. A short time later, they asked if I would start completing all the environmental testing, record keeping and reporting. One of the good things about the ethanol industry is all of the on the job training that is available, from classes held by vendors to workshops or seminars. I came to Southwest Iowa Renewable Energy in 2010 to be Lab and Environmental Compliance Manager, and that is what I do now. On working in ethanol It never gets boring around here, because just when you think you are in a routine, something changes and you’re off on a different tangent. For example, with Covid-19 going on, we directed our ethanol supply to used in producing hand sanitizer. That meant working with the Food and Drug Administration to register our ethanol as a pharmaceutical product. We had to create all new Certificates of Analysis and learn to use different types of denaturant at customer request. After the FDA changed their specifications for hand sanitizer, we then started to learn USP (United States Pharmacopeia) standards and test methods, which are completely different from the fuel ethanol standards and tests. We have purchased some new equipment and are working on being able to produce the higher quality ethanol for hand sanitizer. We have also been working with Health Canada in order to sell ethanol to Canadian companies wanting to produce hand sanitizer. The industry is always changing—regulations, testing and technologies. An exciting part of my job is that I am always learning as I adapt to an ever-changing environment. On working with industry partners BASF’s team is a really a great group. We have worked with Brian Rayhack, Jeff Carver, Tony Newton and Amanda Huber. They are always willing to offer assistance, whether or not we are buying products from them at the time. BASF tech support is always willing to review our data, lab tests, and our quality tests on corn. They have tested our mash in their labs and made suggestions to improve the process. On women in ethanol I have always thought it takes a special type of women to work in the ethanol industry. There are so many wonderful, intelligent, hardworking woman that I have met and worked with. The group of women that we have in ethanol is just amazing. When one needs assistance or advice, we are supportive of each other. Even though we work for different companies, in different roles, we collaborate. It is great the way women support each other in this industry. You do have to be able to fit in and assert yourself, but it’s a great industry to work in.
